Cushion-tire for vehicle-wheels.



J. H. POOLE.

CUSHION TIRE FOR VEHICLE WTEELS. APPLICATION FILED nno. 15,1908.

942,842. Patented Dec.7,1909.

closely within theshoe Unrrn s'r a're ariin'r o rricn.

JOHN H. POOLE, 0F BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A SSIGNOR OF THREE-EIGHTHS TO FRANK L. PRICE AND THREE-.EIGHTI-IS TO cHUsETTs;

JAMES G. WILDE, OF BROCKTON, MASSA- CUSHION-TIRE FOR VEHICLE-WHEELS.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

Application filed-December 15, .1908. Serial No. 467,729.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it, known that I, JOHN H. Poem), of lh'ockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cashion Iires for Vehicle-\Vheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cushion tires for motor vehicles and other Wheels, and it has for its object to provide a tire which, without being inflatable, possesses substantially the same desirable qualities as to resilience as a pneumatic tire, and is at the same time much more durable and reliable.

The invention consists in a cushicn tire comprising a flexible shoe having a longis tudinall y divided transversely fiat inner face adapted to be seated on a wheel rim, a cushion preferably of granular cork packed a d backing the tread portion thereof, and means for coupling together or connecting the parts of the divided inner face of the shoe to confine the said cushion within the shoe, the said confining means being preferably a series of clamping strips formed at their ends to engage the outer sides of the shoe, the strips being adapted to be interposed between the divided inner face and the wheel rim.

()f the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,-Figure 1 repre seats a transverse section showing the tire shoe in an open condition and the cork cushion inserted therein. Fig. 2 represents a transverse section showing the sides of the shoe moved inwardly to compress the cork cushion and engage the edges of a diaphragm which backs the same. Fig. 3 represents a View similar to Fig. showing one of the coupling strips applied to the shoe. Fig. 4 represents a view similar to Fi 3 showing a transverse section of the Wheel rim to which the tire is applied. Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of a portion of the tire in the condition shown in Fig. 3.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in allthe figures.

In the drawings, 12 represents a flexible shoe which may be composed of textile faloric, such as canvas, and rubber, the shoe, so far as the materials of which it is composed is concerned, being of ordinary construction.

'ablv a relatively thick strip The flattened edges 13 of the shoe ar formed to collectively constitute a divideghtransversely fiat inner face adapted to be seated on a t 'ansversely flat wheel rim 14, which is so constructed as to permit the application of the tire in its operative condition to the rim, meansbeing provided for securing the tire firmly to the rim after its applii'sation thereto.

it; represents a filling of granular cork which is inserted in the int tier of the shoe while the latter is in an open condition, as shown in Fig. ,1, said filling constituting-a cushion which is in contact with and backs the tread portion of the shoe. In inserting the cork filling, the granular material is packed closely. the quantity of said material being preferably such that the filling does not entirely occupy the interior of the shoe. While the shoe is open, as shown in Fig. 1, I apply a diaphragm 17 to the inner surface of the filling, said diaphragm being preteradapted to extend around the interior of the shoe, and composed of textile fabric and rubber, or any other suitable material or materials. The filling and the diaphragm being in place, as shown in Fig. 1, the sides of the shoe are moved inwardly toward each other, and are thus brought in contact with the edges of the diaphragm, and at. the same time caused to compress the filling, the result of this operation being the lateral bending of the diaphragm into the arched form shown in Fig. 2, the edges of the'diaphragm being supporter. )y the sides of the shoe so that the diaphraigm forms a resilient. backing for the cork tilling'or cushion 16. hen the sides oi. the shoe are moved in.- wardly toward each other, they first contact with the edges of the diaphragm, and further movemeutof the sides of the shoe toward each other curves tlicaliaplu'agm in a direction to arch it toward the cork filling and to compress the latter. The sides of the shoe are now coupled together or connected by suitable means, such as transverse coupling strips .18 having hooks lt) at their ends adapted to engage the outer sides of the shoe, as shown in Fig. 3, the hooks indenting the yielding sides of the shoe, and forming pockets therein. The coupling strips 18 are preferably thin flat metal strips the shoe, and to be interposed between the .l'atter and the wheel rim 1%, as shown in Fi 4. a

7 n assembling the parts of the tire, the shoe is mounted on a suitable support so that it can be revolved from time to, time, the filling being applied to .the highest part of the shoe and secured by applying clamping strips 18, the operation of applying and securing; the filling being earriedonprogressively until the entire shoe has been filled and itsedges coupled together; V

Granulated corks the best cushion material known to me, on account of its eom- 'bmed lightness and reslliency. I have found that asa'tisfactory result may be produced by using such a quantity of cork that the .cushion is of about the same weight as the inflatable inner not limit myself, l'ninvever, to eork as the material of the cushion.

I claim:

' r A cushioned tire comprising a flexible shoe having edges collectively eonstitutn'ig a longitudinally divided transversely fiat inner 'face adapted to -be- -seated o'n'a wheel rim by a lateral movement of the tire, a reforming a backing for the cushion, and

means for eou 'ilmg togeth'er the parts of the inner face of the shoe to confine and ti-eh the diaphragm toward the cushion. v have aflixed my In testimony whereof I slgnature, 1n presenm: of two witnesses."

JOHN H. room.

ll 'itnesses C. F. BROWN, ln'rnn W, Pnzzm'ri. 

